Posts Tagged ‘fire’

The winter and the harsh austerity measures claimed three more victims in Greece of loan agreements and heating prices the majority cannot afford. A 85-year-old woman was burned to death when a fire broke out in the 25-sqm shanty home she was living in Aspropyrgos. Media report that most probably a spark from a make-shift fire-place set her mattress on fire. she was found burned on her bed. The woman was living on a small pension of 300 euro.

In another incident in Piraeus, the owner of a hotel was burned to death. He was found in a small studio built on the roof of the hotel. The mans was probably used the studio as his home. the fire broke out while the man was sleeping, he died upon his transfer to the hospital.

In Toumpa suburb of Thessaloniki, a woman, 50, was lucky to be absent when a fire broke in the apartment she was living. The fire most probably broke out from a lit candle, as she was living without electricity and on meals from charity soup kitchen.

If we, Greeks, won’t die because of the shortages in health care, the lack of insurance and the high cost of self-participation, we will most probably burned alive or get poisoned from our make-shift stoves and the candles we light to brighten up our nights without electricity.

Falling asleep in front of the fire-place, hulled with several blankets in a icy-cold home, dazed by the lethal fumes of carbon monoxide...

Scared by the many fire incidents since the beginning of the winter 2013, the government plans to stop power cuts to vulnerable groups of the society due to outstanding bills. And here I say, this is not the solution. Then the debts will keep dragging the people to bills they will never be able to pay back.

ΤΗΕ solution is to decrease the prices in electricity with the many extra fees that make power unaffordable, to lower taxes in heating oil, to equal prices of natural gas to those as in the rest in Europe.

PS So happy to be able to inhale again the smog coming from the fire places

A fire broke out in the home of a jobless family of four living without electricity for two years. The 5-year-old child of the family and the grandmother were taken to hospital due to respiratory problems, the parents have reportedly suffered minor burns. It is not clear whether the blaze was due to candles or a make-shift stove.

The fire broke out short after 4 o’clock on Thursday morning in Kordelio suburb of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. The smoke apparently woke up the family that managed to get out of home in time, escaping the worst. Fire brigades managed to extinguish the fire, while all four residents were taken to the hospital. The home was almost completely destroyed.

Electricity box without power consumption counter…

The fire reportedly broke out either from a make-shift stove or from candles, because the house had no electricity for at least two years, according to a statement by the major of Evosmos. Efstahios Lazaridis who stressed that some 700 families in his area have similar problems with power cut due to economic difficulties.

Greek media report, that the family was in dire economic situation living on meals from the Church and municipality soup kitchens. The family with origins in former Sowjetunion had no other income except for the child allowance of 40 euro per month, the grandmother told reporters.

“My children woke me up and we got out of the home,” the grandmother said. she added that neither her son nor his wife had a job.

“They had food Monday to Friday, but on weekends they had nothing to eat,” the landlord told media. The family had not pay the rent of 150 euro per month for the last two years, neither the water bill. “I could not pay for their electricity too, so I went to Power Company and had the power cut,” the landlord said.

Neighbors claim that the parents were drug addicted.

In the heat of frustration and anger, the father armed with a knife tried to attack journalists covering the news outside the burned home. The father was detained and charges are to be brought against him for violating the “weapons law”.

The municipality Social Welfare will offer shelter to the boy and the grandmother.

Evosmos major, Efstathios Lazaridis stressed that some 700 families in his area have similar problems with power cut due to economic difficulties.

Speaking to private Skai TV residents stressed the tragic circumstances for many families in Kordelio-Evosmos municipality with 100,000 people. Almost 50% were without job and in Evosmos 800 families were without electricity. (nonewsnewsblogspot, zougla.gr, newsit.gr, protothema.gr, ).

The tragedy in Kordelio occurred a week after 13-year-old Sara died of carbon monoxide poisoning after her mother had made fire in a make-shift stove so they could warm in a home without electricity.

According to Fire Brigades records, 65 people lost their life 2008-2013 (January) in Greece due to “alternative heating means” like fireplace, heating-oil, wood and gas stoves or make-shift stoves.

Theater play writer Vaggelis Leivadas, 90, was burned to death in November 2011 when an electric heater was turned over.

considering as minimum heating period December-February, it’s difficult for jobless households to find extra 300 euro to heat their homes.

With exorbitant prices for heating oil and natural gas – prices 30-40% higher than in the rest of Europe – many households cannot afford safe heating means and do whatever they can in order to sit at home without freezing feet and running nose.

Three bank workers lost their life and four were injured in the fire at the MARFIN EGNATIA Bank after protesters hurled molotov cocktail bombs amid a huge demonstation against harsh cuts in salaries and pensions and tax increases.

Pictures and Videos shot by demonstrators highlight the dramatic moments the bank workers experienced trying to flee the fire. Shocking pictures and terrifying details see the light of day.

According to eye witnesses the security officers of the bank had locked the doors, fearing the entrance of demonstrators. Once in fire, they started shouting at passers-by to save them and passers-by threw stones at the windows.

At least 3 people jumped from the 2nd floor of the building trying to escape the fire and the toxic smoke burning their lungs.

According to semi-official reports a man, 36, was trapped in the strairswell, one woman 32, was found near her desk and another woman was found at a balcony door. Apparently all three died of suffocation. One of the women was pregnant in the fourth month.

Chairman of Marfin Bank, Andreas Vgenopoulos, was confronted with insults, ironic slogans and water bottles when he visited the bank an hour after the blaze.

There are questionmarks about why the bank was open although it was known that the demonstrators will pass by.

Were there – if at all- enough security measures in case of fire and was the personell trained to use them? From what we hear and see, all the bank workers were formally ‘trapped’ in the building.

ANT-1 TV reports that some masks wearing demonstrators broke with crowbars the glass windows of the bank and threw inside at least 4 molotov cocktails. “A targeted criminal act” as it seems.

As I am still not able to upload videos ( still wordpress-newby), here are some LINKS TO VIDEOS by eye witnesses

THREE PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN A BLAZE that broke out at MARFIN EGNATIA BANK, on Stadiou Street, downtown Athens.

The fire started when demonstrators hurled Molotov cocktail fire bombs at the Bank. SKY-TV reports that the 3 bank employees were burnt to death. They were trapped in the stairwell of the 3rd floors while trying to flee the fire broken out two floors below. Four people – one with broken bones, 3 with inspiratory problems – are treated in nearby hospitals.

Reports have it that angry demonstrators threw stones to the fire brigade coming in.

There are reports about fire at Finance Ministry-depts, burnt cars & shops, smashed windows. The van of turkish NTV private channel was also set on fire. Clashes between demonstrators and plice are continueing.

So far no information about injured peple or arrests. Information flow is hindered today since Greek Media are also taking part to the general strike.

Tens of thousands angry Greeks demonstrate in Athens protesting the harsh austerity measures and severe cuts on salaries and pensions as well price increases in electricity and extra taxes. The slogans are against the politicians, the police and the journalists. People demand “Give the Stolen Money Back”. People demand property confiscation of corrupt politicians and that those respomsible for the economic crisis should go to jail.

The Greek government announced Sunday drastic public spending cuts in order to get bailout loans of 110 b. Euro from EU & IMF.